The present invention relates generally to perforated, nonwoven suedes. More particularly, the present invention relates to imparting airflow and aesthetic features to these materials.
Currently, the seating application market offers nonwoven suedes that include holes, namely, perforations. These suedes are required to meet a certain airflow specification through the perforations, when used in a heated and/or cooled seat.
The size and population of the perforations, or, perforation holes, can affect the airflow positively or negatively. Not only is airflow at issue, the perforation features may limit the ability to impart aesthetics to the overall material. For example, decorative scrims can be included on the back of the perforation to show an aesthetic through the perforation hole (color, texture, etc).
However, prior efforts have shown that when a decorative scrim is added to the back of perforated materials (regardless of the perforation population and hole size), air flow is limited through the composite. The present typical composites of perforated face and decorative backing materials result in air permeability through the perforation holes that is significantly lower than most standards, including as low as 20 CFM (cubic feet per minute).
Accordingly, there remains a need to provide an air permeable decorative backing scrim that can also impart aesthetic features to perforated materials.